Packfish: one of the larger fish varieties on Pern [RSR/7:193]. Probably related to packtail much a much larger variety and more suited for sport fishing.

Paints: oil paints were known, made (using the old Terra methods) and used on Pern (on wood panels as well as on canvas), as were the special paints for doing murals. Making paints was a part of the study of painting so that each painter could take care of manufacturing his own materials [RSR/5:148-149].

Pahlevi, Boris: see Boris Pahlevi.

Palim: Journeyman Baker at the Fort Gather, sold bubbly pies to Piemur and friends [H2].

Palla: a fisherwoman at Lado Hold on Ista Island, her spouse's name is unknown. Mother of Neru (N'ru), Nian and Niall [EtT].

Panit: a miner at Camp Natalon in Crom Hold. One of Tarik's old cronies but inn the end he told on Tarik [DK, Dfire].

Paper: since plasfilm was getting to be rare during the First Interval, more and more people started using paper. Most of the paper was made out of woodpulp but there was also paper that was made in the old fashioned way, out of old rags [RSR/1:65]. At the end of the First Interval people started to re-use paper more and more, because for some tasks just one clean side was enough and they realized that the material could be coming sparse during the coming Pass [RSR:15/353]. Paper was obviously used until at leat the end of the Second Interval as it is mentioned in Dragon's Fire [Dfire].

Paradise River: a river on the Southern Continent.
The fifth Fall of the Second Pass started offshore from the mouth of the Paradise River [RSR/16:383].

Paradise River Cove: [DoP/1:18].

Paradise River Hold:

Bend, the: a bend in the Paradise River and the location of South Bend Hold, a farmcraft Hold that is beholden to Paradise River Hold [DoP/4:75].

Harpers at: Master Harper Menolly (temporarily) [DoP/4:72-74, 76-77].

Population: the population of Paradise River Hold numbered 47 (adults and children) at the beginning of the book Dolphins of Pern. Of the people that had wanted to settle there Holder Jayge only had to dismiss one couple [DoP/4:76].

Paramundi, Jivan: see Jivan Paramundi.

Pardisriv: delphinic name for Paradise River [DoP/2:38].

Pardure: lad at Paradise River Hold [DoP].

Parren: a Holder at Paradise River [DoP].

Parsley: Petroselinum crispum. Sometimes used, either chewed or as a decoction, for indigestion, it can also have a mild diuretic action. The dried root can be used as a laxative. Our Terran parsley is a potent source of vitamins. It contains vitamins A, C, several Bs, calcium and iron. It has mild laxative properties, and a hair treatment of the oil may repel head lice, but for the most part any medicinal value beyond nutrition is dubious at best. It is a good addition to a sauce for cold beef, shellfish, and pasta. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail].

Parts of Upper Igen Hold:

Bound to: Igen Weyr.

Pass: a period of time during which the Red Star is close enough to drop Thread on Pern.

Preparations for a coming Pass: starting (at least) two years before the start of a Pass. Among them: sowing larger crops, storing harvests, general maintenance on buildings, construction of emergency shelters on the main roads for ground crews, training holders on how to combat Thread burrows [RSR/9:220].

Pre-Pass inspections: pre-Pass inspections of all Weyrs were carried out by the Weyrleader of Fort Weyr (the senior Weyrleader). Among the things he checked were the number of riders (to fly Thread) and cadets (to supply the wings with phosphine rock, later called firestone). Discussions of flight tactics and Weyr maintenance were also held [RSR/1:49].

Signs of a coming Pass: perturbations preceding a coming Pass that were noticeable on the surface of Pern were extreme weather and the volcanic eruptions [RSR/1:64]. Frequent clutches and overproducing Weyrswere a sure sign that there would be a Pass [RSR/3:83]. There was no shortage on queen dragons in any Weyr just prior to the start of the Second Pass [RSR/3:87].

Passes and Intervals: List may be debatable after information found in AtWoP concerning the slight variations in duration concerning Passes as well as (Long) Intervals [Source for this list: DLG1/7:66

Pat: daughter of Stev Kimmer and Chio Fusaiyuki. Returned to Earth [CoP/RR].

Pat Hempenstall: colonist, a botanist (male). A passage only appearing in the UK edition of Dragonsdawn reveals he played the cello. Due to the uniqueness of the name he must have been a family member (or husband?) of Aisling Hempenstall. [DD]

Paul Benden: Paul Benden was born c. 70 BL ("...but Benden, well into his sixth decade, looked vigorously healthy") [AtWoP/1:6], admiral, veteran of the Nathi space wars, Commander of the Purple Sector Fleet and hero of the Cygnus campaign (which turned the tide of war against the Nathis), colonist, charter member and co-colony leader (together with governor Emily Boll) [RSR/4:119], died Fort Hold 26. He had a (brief) relationship (on board the Yokohama, while traveling to Pern) with Avril Bitra, a contractor and astrogator who was also one of the twelve pilots of the Yokohama's three shuttles, died 8 (in space, on board the Admiral's gig Mariposa) (no issue). He married c. 2 AL (after 30 first-month 1) Ju Adjai, agronomist/botanist, owner of two fire lizards [DD/165-166, 183].

Paul Benden acted as the Admiral and leader of the Pern expedition fleet consisting of the ships Yokohama, Bahrain and Buenos Aires. He elected to stay awake for the first and last five years of the journey to Pern, and stayed only the remaining five years in-between his two watches in cold sleep.
The Benden family originally settled on the Boca River Stake (Southern Continent) but of course had to "move north to shield", along with all the other colonists.
Paul and Ju were not yet married at the end of first-month of the first year after landing. Sallah Telgar's observation of Paul Benden tells us: "He was a sensual man (...) but unlikely to appreciate Avril's crude abandon for long. Ju Adjai, elegant and serene, was far more suitable, even if neither appeared to be rushing a noticeable alliance" [AtWoP/1:83]. Sallah makes this observation just before she informs Zi Ongola about the activities and her suspicions of Avril Bitra, which was on the 30th of first-month in the first year after landing [AtWoP; Timeline on Sariel's Guide to Pern].
Aivas tells us in All the Weyrs of Pern that "Four children were recorded to the marriage of Paul Benden and Ju Adjai" [AtWoP/2:45]. On the same page he tells Lord Toronas, the current Lord Holder of Benden Hold, that it is possible, "even likely" that he is a direct descendant of one of the children of Paul Benden and Ju Adjai. Aivas could, at that time, not have known that this wasn't possible since he had had no input after the crossing of the colonists to the Northern Continent. Aivas probably made a guess on the basis of the fact that Toronas was Lord of a Hold called Benden and that Paul Benden must have been the founder of the Hold by that name, in which he, of course, was mistaken. He couldn't know at the time that Benden Hold wasn't founded by the Benden family but got its name from Benden Weyr, which (in its turn) was named after Paul Benden [CoP-SW/176-177].
While Aivas seems to know about four Benden children it is altogether possible that there were more since Aivas received no new data after the colonists moved to the Northern Continent.
Paul Benden kept a diary that was obviously still known to at least the Weyrleaders and Weyrwomen who lived during the First Interval and the Second Pass. In Red Star Rising/Dragonseye appears the following remark from said diary (quoted by Telgar Weyrleader K'vin): "And then that young rogue had the temerity to salute and say, ‘Admiral Benden, may I present the Dragonriders of Pern?’". The term "the young rogue" refers to Sean Connell, leader of the first eighteen dragonriders [RSR/17:408, cf. DD/3:363].

The portrait of Admiral Paul Benden shown here was the second in the series Pern Portraits made especially for the Pern Encyclopedia by the American artist and Pern fan Linda Eicher. It is copyright by her and you are asked politely not to reproduce it or use it in any way without prior permission by the artist. You can click the portrait for a larger version.

Paul Logorides: [DD].

Paulinof Fort, Lord: Lord Holder of Fort Hold at the end of the First Interval and the start of the Second Pass (became Lord after 242, in which Turn his father still was Lord Holder). Known son: Mattew [RSR/1:43-44]. Paulin was a son of Lord Emilin of Fort [RSR/9:222]. He sent a message to the other Lord Holders and Weyrleaders suggesting the impeachment of Lord Chalkin of Bitra Hold which received a mixed reception, despite the evidence presented with it. This annoyed Lord Paulin who had hoped for a direct unanimous decision [RSR/9:220]. Lord Paulin was tempted to designate his eldest nephew Sidny as his successor as Lord Holder because he had a few reservations about his own son Mattew, but at the same time knew he was tending to be more critical of his own Blood than others were [RSR/9:221].
The use of the name Paulin suggests that he was a direct descendant of Paul Benden, originally one of the colony leaders and the man who can be considered to have been the first Lord Holder of Fort Hold.

Wife of: together with her husband chatting with and escorting the Benden Weyrleaders to the head table at the gather at Fort Hold in 257 [RSR/1:27].

Pawberry: a brush or tree whose leaves, when boiled, produced a fine pure red pigment, with neither tint nor tinge of orange or purple. Used for coloring and making paints [RSR/5:150].

Peas: a Terran legume, brought to Pern by te colonists, which did well in the rich native soil [DLG/II:16].

Pei Pei Ting: pharmacist [DD].

Pelianth: queen dragon, rider Kamiana [Mor].

Pell: born Keroon Beasthold app. 2503 [GWHD/21], one of the three children and only son of Dowell and Barla [GWHD/17].

Pellar: born 480 AL, foster child taken in as an orphan (found) by Master Harper Zist and his wife Cayla. Pellar can't speak (is dumb) and communicates by writing on slate. He becomes Zist's apprentice and is later field-promoted by Zist to Journeyman Harper within a Turn of starting his apprenticeship. He studied with the ex-dragonrider Mikal. Pellar is a talented woodsman [Dfire].

Perfumes: women on Pern used perfumes, probably only based on natural ingredients. In Red Star Rising Iantine thinks about the "floral fragrance" his lover Debera uses.

Pern: third of the star Rukbat's five planets. It has two natural satellites.

Gravity: gravity on Pern is about 90% of what is normal for Earth [DLG2/4].

Oxygen level: the atmosphere on Pern has a slightly above the normal oxygen content [DLG2/4].

Pern Charter: see Charter.

Perri: a young, shunned child with Moran who died from an infected tunnelsnake bite [Dfire].

Perschar: Harper/artist (painter), also an undercover agent [RoP].

Persellan: Journeyman healer at Eastern Weyr [DoP].

Persis St. John: pediatrician [DD].

Pessia: cotholder's daughter, Tillek Hold [MHoP].

Peter Oliver Plunkett Hanrahan: see Red Hanrahan.

Peter Semling: rider of bronze Gilgath, one of the original first eighteen dragonriders [DD].

Peterpar: herdsman at Fort Weyr [Mor].

Petey Tubberman: child of Ted and Mary Tubberman [DD].

Peth: son of Lord Tolocamp and Lady Pendra of Fort Hold, brother of Nerilka [NS].

Petillo: Journeyman Harper at Bitra Hold [H2].

Petiron: Master Harper (Master Composer) at Harper Hall. Married Merelan, father of Robinton who was to become Masterharper of Pern. Later on in life Petiron was Hold Harper at Half Circle Sea Hold. With a personality as complex as his son's, Petiron left the Harper Hall when his son Robinton was elected Masterharper of Pern, so as to leave Robinton free to make decisions. Petiron was also brokenhearted by the death of his beloved wife Merelan and immured himself in the far eastern Half Circle Sea Hold , far away from any chance of stray memories of her. Some people say with his removal to a place so far from the Harper Hall he also fled the unwanted attentions of Dunca.
Quite as brilliant a musician as his son, adept on every instrument and on the higher levels assuredly the better composer, his easier duties at Half Circle allowed him not only time to play long hours but entranced audiences on long winter and stormy nights when fishing was next to or completely impossible. The children he taught were hungry for knowledge, and when joint-ail made it hard for him to finger any of his beloved instruments, he had Menolly to teach and play for him. In her, and in his son, he instilled the love of music in all its forms, and encouraged another genuine talent.
A tall man, gaunt and gnarled with age, his expression rarely revealed inner turmoil or anger in later life in ways he did when he was younger. His eyes, brilliant but of no particular sahde for any length of time, remained sharp until they closed in death. The burial dirge was played by Menolly when his body was entrusted to the sea the wat the fisherman treat their own dead. [MHoP; H1].

The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).

Pierre de Courci: colonist, chef, acting as head of catering at Landing. Husband of governor Emily Boll [DD]. Founder of (South)ern)) Boll Hold [CoP-FoRH/92-94]. In the second edition of The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern his name is spelled wrongly as "de Curci" [DLG2/216].

Pilgra: rider of queen Selgrith. Weyrwoman of High Reaches Weyr [D2].

Pine: a tree. Colonist botanists raised seedlings of all Earth trees in the hydroponics lab. Oak and pine trees were planted in the shade of ginko and cottonwood trees which provided shelter for them. Scrub pine went into the higher reaches [DLG1/II:15].

Pirith: a queen dragon, rider unknown. She was hatched at Benden Weyr [D3].

Pipes: a name for a musical instrument on Pern. Though in Dragon's Fire it is said "the ancients" would have called it a recorder we know from other sources there are many different pipes.

Piyanth, bronze dragon, rider K'net:

Plainland Telgar: see Telgar Weyr.

Plasfilm: rapidly becoming a rare commodity at the end of the First Interval. Fort Hold's stock, for one, was running low in Turn 257 [RSR/1:64-65].

Plath: green dragon, rider Jule [RSR].

P'leen: rider of bronze Aaith, stationed at Igen Weyr [Mor].

P'lel: rider of green Telenth (mistakenly mentioned as a small blue once in Dragon's Fire). Member of D'vin's wing. Took part in the individual trials at the All Weyr Games at Crom Hold in 495 [Dfire].

P'llomar: rider of green kadarth, stationed at Benden Weyr [D3].

P'nine: rider of bronze Ixth, stationed at Fort Weyr [Mor].

Pod: a group of dolphins who live together [DoP].

Pod leader: [DoP].

Poel, Corte de: see Corte de Poel.

Pol: a Holder in Benden [RoP].

Pol: a runnerhandler at High Hill Hold [NS].

Pol Nietro: colonist, biologist. Husband of Bay Harkenon [DD].

Polla: a woman and child minder at Aleesa's camp in Nabol Hold. She flirted with Pellar despite being much older [Dfire].

Pollan: Healer at Big Bay Hold [Mor].

Pona: female student at Harper Hall [H2].

The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).

Population: the population is mentioned being four to five million persons in the Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, divided over several major Holds, hundreds of smaller Holds and may isolated cotholds, scattered across the southern two-thirds of the Pernese Northern Continent. Te figure give is for the Ninth Pass ad has fluctuated wildly during te 2,500 years since the colonists settled on Pern. During the Ninth Pass settlements on the Southern Continent where started again [DLG1/X:113].

Porridge: often eaten as breakfast [RSR/5:129-130].

Porrig Connell: colonist, leader of the Connell clan (Irish traveling folk/tinkers) [DD]. Father of Sean, Mick and Sinead Connell. His wife was probably called Moorehouse, a clan with which the Connell clan had very strong ties [DD].

Pragal: weyr lad, Benden Weyr [MHoP].

P'ratan: rider of green Poranth, stationed at Southern Weyr [RoP].

Prath: green dragon, rider Angie [RSR].

Preaching to the dedicated: old Terran and Pernese proverb.

Pre-Pass inspections: pre-Pass inspections of all Weyrs were carried out by the Weyrleader of Fort Weyr (the senior Weyrleader). Among the things he checked were the number of riders (to fly Thread) and cadets (to supply the wings with phosphine rock, later called firestone). Discussions of flight tactics and Weyr maintenance were also held [RSR/1:49].

Pressen: healer at High Reaches Weyr [Mor].

Pridith: queen dragon, rider Kylara: Being the only queen beside Ramoth Pridith and Kylara were send between times back to Southern shortly after the first fall after the Long Interval. Her first clutch consisted out of thirty-two eggs, had no queen egg but fourteen of them were bronzes.

Prilla: rider or queen Selianth. Junior weyrwoman at Fort Weyr [D3].

Printing press: At the time of the First Interval a major printing press was still on the list with wishes of the head engineer's staff. people realized though that a printing press required paper and that the forests were going to be very vulnerable during the coming Second Pass [RSR/15:352].
[DoP/5:105]

Private Craft Halls: at the time of the First Interval and Second Pass there were (still) a number of private Craft Halls in existence, situated on the West Coast as well as in the East, which taught a variety of skills, like fine leather tooling, glass and stone workings. A famous Hall at the time was Hall Domaize at Keroon at which various fine arts were taught [RSR/5:140]. See also Hall Domaize.

Professional Heads: heads or masters of crafts, later called craftmasters [RSR/7:202].

P'tero: rider of blue Ormonth, stationed at Telger Weyr. Member of V'last's wing [RSR/15:365]. Nicknamed Tero [RSR/6:179]. Weyrmate and lover of M'leng [RSR/1:36]. P'tero still was a young dragonrider at the start of the Second Pass [RSR/6:159]. P'tero was younger than M'leng [RSR/17:407].
Was part of a demonstration of a mid-air rescue at the gather at Fort Hold in 257 and got berated for reckless behavior during that manoeuvre. He was in love at the time and probably acted the way he did because his mate was watching [RSR/1:27-29, 32, 36]. He was the dragonrider that rescued Iantine from freezing over after leaving Bitra Hold during the Winter of 257 [RSR/6:159]. It is a curious thing that P'tero was sweep riding over Bitra Hold while being a Telgar Weyr rider. Even his Weyrleader K'vin wasn't sure about why his rider was there but glad of the fact because of the rescue [RSR/6:169].
He and his weyrmate and lover M'leng were attacked by lions while on a Telgar Weyr outing to the Southern Continent during first-month of Turn 258. Nine dragons were wounded while rescueing them, including their own. P'tero saved his lover's life by throwing his body over his [RSR/15:369-371]. He was wounded on his back and had to lay on his stomach after the accident [RSR/16:374]. Though both he and his lover were wounded, P'tero thought that M'leng would no longer love him because of his forever scarred body [RSR/16:374-375]. It took three weeks until P'tero was sufficiently healed to be able to fly home to Telgar Weyr [RSR/16:376]. He was not allowed to attend the first live Fall on the count of his, still not completely healed, injuries. This was probably the reason that Weyrleader K'vin choose not to include M'leng among the group of green riders that were to fight in the historic first Threadfall of the Second Pass [RSR/17:406].